My doctor Rx'd me 60x 1mg clonazepam to take twice a day on the 15th of december. Lately I have been extra panicky and anxious and have been taking three a day and am not going to make it to the 15th of this month with my current supply. I want to call the office to request additional pills but I'm afraid my doctor will be upset and not grant my request. I'm young and I'm afraid they'll think I'm abusing my medication which is not the case at all. I need advice on what I should do here, thanks I appreciate it in advance.
Medication - Running out of meds early, what to do?
Question posted by cwake19 on 4 Jan 2012
Last updated on 6 January 2012
3 Answers
Inactive
4 Jan 2012
Hello cwake, & welcome to the site. If I understand you you are not following the directions for your meds & taking larger & larger doses. This is quite a dangerous thing to do. I am sure you already know that. there aare longer acting benzos to take that may well be what you need to switch to. I would cll & see if you can get in early to your doctor. Be very truthful or he/she can't properly help you. If your panic is as bad as you say, I suspect you need an increase or a different benzo that is longer acting.I am giving you a site to read all about the med you are taking & what amount is normal for your condition, side effects & so forth. I hope this is of help to you...
https://www.drugs.com/pro/clonazepam.html
caringsonbj
4 Jan 2012
Dear cwake19:
I lnow situations like this do happen, as Rajive said if you can cut down it would be far better but it can be like a dog chasing it's tail if this isn't taking care of your problem it's best that you talk with the doctor and be open and honest with him/ her, It is my sincere hope that you have a physician that you feel you can open up to and just tell it like it is, I am fortunate to have a physician that I could go in and explain before you find yourself into the situation of runing out, I can also undersstand your concerns lots of doctors won't just won't even prescribe this because of the potential for abuse, a good doctor will respect you being open and honest but if you continue and this does not work and this happens it can be problematic for you as well as a concern for the doctor.
I have a family member who is experiencing much the same problem her doctor told her if she had been open to the start then the problems she is having right now might have been avoided, I wish you the very best and I hope that your are able to have the kind of doctor that will understand and will work with you to resolve this. I wish you only the very best! caringsonbj (Billy)
Rajive Goel
4 Jan 2012
You should have followed your docs prescription, clonazepam is prone to be absued, & you know that too well, guess any doc will get suspicious, would recommend that you try & cut down the intake of the pill, this is my sincere advice.
Take care, be safe & best wishes!
cwake19
4 Jan 2012
Thanks I guess, but please realize I haven't been abusing it. Indeed I should've stuck to the instructions but it's kind of prescribed for as-needed basis so I was inclined to take more, although I have my own limits. I am cutting down, but have few pills left and about 10 days left before a refill.
Rajive Goel
4 Jan 2012
Welcome, I do trust you my friend but would your doc see your point of view? Guess not, its going to take a lot of talking & maybe he/she agrees, the moment you request for additional pills they would know that you had been taking more than the prescribed dose.
Take care, best wishes!
Inactive
5 Jan 2012
Welcome to d.c ! I have been on clonazepam, 30 years. I know all about it. Unlike other "pams", these have a very long half life, which means they stay in ur system a long time, 12 hours or more. I too take them for panic attacks. Work well. Is your doc a shrink. I have found honesty to be best. Tell em what's up and how u feel. I loved my shrink.
Peace,
Laura
cwake19
6 Jan 2012
Thanks for all of the comments everyone I appreciate it very much. Laura, it sounds like we both find the same benefit from clonazepam, I have been on all the other "pams" (xanax, valium, ativan) and this one helps me so much more and works great with my lexapro. The long half-life keeps my panic away and is amazing, hopefully I don't have to be on it for 30 years but after being on it for a couple months so far it has been extremely helpful. My current doc isn't a shrink, but I have an appointment with one this month that will be prescribing it for me, so he should be even more understanding of my condition.
I got ahold of my doctor and explained my situation and the doc was a bit concerned that I may be over-using my medication, but I assured them that that's not the case, and from now on I will only be taking what I'm prescribed for sure, they accommodated me and called in an extra mini-refill to get me through to my appointment with my shrink so I don't run out, so my situation has been resolved and I am very pleased.
Thanks again for all of the advice, and I will make sure to follow my doctor's instructions precisely in the future so that I don't run short on such an important medication.
Rajive Goel
6 Jan 2012
Most importantly, please do not OD on such meds, please.
Inactive
6 Jan 2012
Cwake,
When I was really sick, on the edge of a psychotic break, I wanted to sleep to escape. In 4 hours, I took 18 mg and still didn't sleep. I wouldn't recommend this for anyone, but I went to my shrink the next day, and we tried even more meds. Still on the klonopin though as I was wired for sound or strung tighter than a fiddle. But circumstances being what they were at the time, I did the best I could. Just remember I care.
Peace,
Hippie Chickie Laura
Rajive Goel
7 Jan 2012
You just take care of yourself, life is too precious to be overdosing on meds.
Related topics
clonazepam, doctor, medication
Further information
- Clonazepam uses and safety info
- Clonazepam prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Clonazepam (detailed)
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